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Topic : 03/22 Living on the Edge

Number of Replies: 420

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Created on : Friday, January 06, 2006, 01:45:12 pm

Author : DrPhilBoard1

(Original Air Date: 01/11/06) She used to have it all: A husband, a beautiful home, a great job and many friends. But a crippling alcohol addiction for the past 10 years has turned Lisa’s dream life into a nightmare. One step away from being homeless, Lisa trades sexual favors for alcohol just to get through the day. Joani, a recovering addict who's been trying to help, records Lisa's debilitating addiction and the disturbing symptoms of withdrawal when she tries to go without a drink. Lisa has failed in rehab three times and is ready to give up on life. Can Dr. Phil convince her to give it one more try? Talk about the show here.

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Sorry Lisa, It is Lisa.

Been there

I just want you to know that you CAN recover.I was really lucky in that my husband loved me enough to help me.I too was shaking,vommiting,etc.uncontrolably.My husband packed my bags,pried the vodka bottle out of my hands,got me dressed,and put me on a 3 hour ferry ride to catch a plane down to be with my family.It was by no means easy but,I did it.My mother had had cancer surgery a few months before all of this happened and my first grandchild was about to be born and here I was DRUNK.My granddaughter was born on 1-20-05 ( I had been sober for 2 weeks by then) and when I called to let my mom know my sister was on the phone with moms doctor telling us that she was dieing and only had a few weeks to live.I thank GOD every day that I had those last few weeks with her SOBER and that my granddaughter met me while I was sober.I didn't do it completely on my own,but with the thought of my family watching me slowly kill myself after watching my mother die I couldn't do that to them.You really have to want to get better first for yourself or it won't work.You are SOOOOOO lucky to have a friend who cares enough about you that she pulled out ALL the stops to get you help.They have offered you their hands reach out and grab on with both of yours.I did it without treatment and only 1 relapse.You have the best there is out there.Grab on and keep looking forward.YOU CAN DO IT!!! If you need to talk to some one who's been there I'm here as are many,many others.GOOD LUCK.You can do this. Deanna

Our families are similar

Watching the clip of you talking at your mom made me wince. Whatever problems were in the past...get over it. All I heard was "Wahh...wahhh... wahhh. Poor me! I don't get my way, so I'll show you...I'll drink myself to death." Your mom is not responsible for your future. You are. I am the only non-alcoholic in my family. I was surrounded by it. I love my family, but I grew up the same way they did. Don't tell me life is too tough to face sober. You have to take responsibility for your own happiness. It's a choice and a journey. It's not something that happens to you. It's not something that someone makes you. Get a grip.

I sent a similar email on this subject.

I think the parents role needs to be evaluated by a sober Lisa. Right now she obviously has a problem with honesty.

Alcohol is a disease

Watching the clip of you talking at your mom made me wince. Whatever problems were in the past...get over it. All I heard was "Wahh...wahhh... wahhh. Poor me! I don't get my way, so I'll show you...I'll drink myself to death." Your mom is not responsible for your future. You are. I am the only non-alcoholic in my family. I was surrounded by it. I love my family, but I grew up the same way they did. Don't tell me life is too tough to face sober. You have to take responsibility for your own happiness. It's a choice and a journey. It's not something that happens to you. It's not something that someone makes you. Get a grip.

Warpony that is where you are wrong--alcohol is a disease that can very well be passed on in the family to the kids. If its all the child sees then they don't know anything different and it can be hard to break the circle alot of times. My late husbands dad drank and drank alot and in return both my late husband and his brother started drinking. His brother is a recovering alcoholic but it took a very violent situation to breat the cycle. My husband told me that he had just gotten in from one of the gigs that the band performed and he know sooner tried to go to sleep when he heard a fight downstairs. It was his brother raising his hand to hit his dad while he was drunk and my husband grabbed him and threw him head first into the refrigerator there was even a dent in the handle from it and Alan said it was that scene that woke him up and forced himself to look at what he was doing to his life but not everyone can do that. There are alot of people out there that don't have the support network that they need to help them overcome the drinking. Yea it's real easy to look at someone who drinks alot and put a lable on them of oh he's just a drunk or she is just a drunk its there decision if they want to stop they can but that is not how this disease works. People who are trying to overcome being an alcoholic need a support system they need to know that someone is going to be there for them if for some reason they get the urge to pick up a beer and instead call someone and talk it out. Thats the hard part, the hard part is saying okay this person can't succeed doing this alone they need help and I'm up for helping them recover. That is what people need to do.

Alcoholism - Lisa

Miracles do happen

Please pass this on to the lady on the show today if possible - &nbsp

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My mother in law is an alcoholic and got to the point of liver failure (scerosis). She received the miracle of a liver transplant. She wanted to give up like you - but she had the courage not to let alcoholism define who she is. I know you can do it!! &nbsp

dr phil my hero......and today I am deceived....

first and foremost please forgive my english.....i am a french canadian.....&nbsp

I am also an addict in recovery , I attend meetings and one day at a time I will celebrate 17 years of sobriety in march. I also believe that the mom of Lisa has nothing to do with her desease and it is the easiest way out to blame every body else buy looking in the mirror. Love to read your comments , and I am a strong beleiver that this is a desease and as much as a diabetic did not choose to shoot insuline every day. I can control the desease on a daily basis by not touching my first drink.....love your show, watch it all the time....in my new condo will get a flat screen so I do not have to choose between making dinner and watcing your show...thank you for your help and your giving heart.&nbsp

This was my aunt and I didn't know

I just realized why my aunt shook so much right before her children were taken away when her husband was caught drunk driving with their three-year old in the car.

Whenever I saw my aunt at family reunions her hands (holding a hard drink in one hand, a cigarette in the other) would shake and tremble. She would sweat a lot too. I was worried but I didn't realize it was from the alcohol.

01/11 Living on the Edge

I have been drinking for 15 years, the first 12 years mainly socially on weekends and to unwind some nights after work. Numerous operations on my leg has left me with severe pain and I am prescribed strong narcotic pain medication (which I am not addicted by any means) it just so happened that over the last three years my drinking became out of control to ease the pain. I am physically addicted to alcohol and I am surprised at how much of my health and life is affected by it. I’ve always thought of myself as a strong person but I was living in denial. I rarely take the medication for fear of mixing the two and causing more problems but I know I will need something for pain once I am completely dry or until I have one more operation. I have to get clean before I opt to have surgery for fear of complications. For the last six months I switched to light beer and switched to diluted white wine. With a lot sweating, shakes and anxiety I managed to reduce my drinking to two drinks a day and even had day’s alcohol free. It was tuff over the holidays so I avoided social functions and managed quite well. Until this past weekend I slipped and returned to a binge pattern for two days. I have come to realise that I cannot do it on my own and will check into a facility next week. I’m opting for the ‘harm reduction’ approach until then so I don’t get into trouble with the DT’s. My husband on the other hand manages quite well with a few beers after work or after playing sports and does not appear to have an addiction. He is fearful that once I am clean he is going to have to be completely clean as well. He did state that he will be supportive of my decision and that he will not keep anything in the house. I truly hope that will be the case. He believes that AA is cult like and has no interest in their methods. He is willing to go to counselling with me so I will see what resources the treatment facility has to offer.&nbsp

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I thank you for airing this show and hope that there will be more coverage on this subject. And to you Lisa and others going through this be brave and you are in my prayers.